Is it okay to contiune with yoga while training for a marathon?
Reply - Janet
sure - as long as the majority of your training time is spent running... yoga is wonderful for promoting body awareness and core strength, but the only thing that will build the endurance needed to complete that marathon is running. So if you're short on time and have to choose whether to do a yoga class or a run - most of the time you'll be better off selecting the run rather than the yoga class. 
Good luck on your marathon!  Janet Hamilton, MA, RCEP, CSCS, RRCA coaching instructor

If someone is a midfoot striker and has contiuned issue with peroneus longues, peroneal tendon and tibias anterior being tight and getting very overused. Does it mean that they are in the wrong shoe? Or does it say something about there biomechanics? Midfoot striker, high arches, wears light stability shoes like ASICS 2130s and Brook Adrenalines as well occassion use of neutral shoes. Plus, wear pattern on bottom of shoe show heavy wear on the ball of foot. ANy ideas or insight?
Reply - Janet
The wear pattern on your shoe simply confirms your suspiscion that you're a mid-foot striker.  With your gait pattern and the comment about having high arches... I'd want to look into factors such as tight calves & hamstrings, and also look into your training paces.  If you're training at paces that are too fast or if you're doing too much emphasis on higher intensity work - perhaps it's just a matter of backing off a little and giving your body some recovery days with easy paces or even some off days.  If you run in different types of shoes (stability vs. neutral) pay attention and see if you can find a pattern.  Are your high arches "stiff" or "flexible"?  If they're flexible, then the more stable shoe might work better for you.  If they're stiff, then the less stable "neutral" shoe might work better.  Are you consistent with hip strength exercises? Weak hips mean that the lower leg muscles might be called upon to do a greater share of work to make up for what's not being handled by the hips.  Just some food for thought.... Janet Hamilton, MA, RCEP, CSCS, RRCA coaching instructor

Can you do short distance races like 5K and 10Ks in your base building phase?
Reply - Janet
That kind of depends... what are you base building for and do you currently have a base that will support the 5K or 10K distance you want to race?  If you're in a prolonged base building phase toward an event like a marathon - then throwing in the occasional 5K or 10K along the way provides a nice "checkpoint" to see how your fitness is progressing and allow you to adjust your training paces to match your new fitness level.  I've had lots of athletes PR in shorter races without having done a single step of speedwork... just because they built a better engine with the right type of base building.  On the other hand - if you're doing a lot of 5K and 10K racing along the way through your base building phase to that marathon - you're increasing your risk of injury because the frequent racing may be adding too much overload when combined with the overload of increasing mileage base.   Hope this helps?  Janet Hamilton, MA, RCEP, CSCS, RRCA coaching instructor

Here's some encouragement for older would-be-runners-again like me: http://arthritis-research.com/content/12/1/R25 "In people with hip or knee OA, walking a minimum of 3000 steps (~30 minutes), at least 3 days/week, in combination with glucosamine sulphate, may reduce OA symptoms. ..." One preliminary study, but at least it's encouraging news. - Hank
Reply - Janet
one of the challenges of this study (and others like it) is that they looked simultaneously at two interventions - walking, and glucosamine sulfate supplements.  This is interesting reading, but makes one wonder why they didn't do a placebo control so that they could determine if the glucosamine was helping or if it was the walking that helped.   No studies I've read have shown that physical activity is detrimental to people with arthritis.  All the stuff I've read shows a favorable result.  Movement is life... keep moving!  Janet Hamilton, MA, RCEP, CSCS, RRCA coaching instructor

I am a 64 year old distance runner and am just coming off a 6-week layoff because of a torn Achilles tendon. It was a small tear and I have been doing exercises to strengthen the area as well as having ultra-sound treatments and wearing a boot. How should I best get back into training and will my age be detrimental to a speedy recovery.
Reply - Janet
I don't think your age is a significant detriment to your return to running... in some ways your emotional maturity gives you an advantage over the younger athlete who may be less patient with their body as they resume running.  My guidance would be to make sure you're solid on a walking program before you try to do a transition.  I like to see athletes get solid at walking up to 10 miles a week with a long walk of perhaps 3-4 before they try any running.  Hopefully your doc/PT have given you exercises to address any muscle strength issues that might have contributed to the initial injury.  If so - don't stop doing them as you make this transition.  Your first day of transition should probably be run segments of no more than 1-2 minutes at a time, separated by somewhat longer segments of walking (perhaps 4-5 min?).  As you get stronger and your body proves it's able to tolerate the workload you can continue to make gradual changes in the run/walk ratio until you're eventually back to all running and no walking.  Don't rush this process... give your body time to adapt!  Best of luck to you getting back to the sport you love. 
Janet Hamilton, MA, RCEP, CSCS, RRCA coaching instructor.

3 weeks ago I developed an IT band injury. Didn't know what it was and was seen by a sports ortho docotor. I have been resting it, no running. I have been doing some stationary biking to keep some level of conditioning. I have been icing it, taking a prescription anti-inflamatory drug, and doing some stretching. What I'm wondering is, based on your experience, when do people typically get back to running after an IT band injury? How does a person know that they can / should be able to start running again? I was training for a my first marathon. I was up to 18 miles for my long run. I had run 16 and 14 a couple times before going up to 18 miles. I appreciate any insight you can share. Thanks Keven
Reply - Janet
Keven - the current thinking in the research world is that stretching of the ITB is pretty unlikely to help your condition.  The current thinking is that ITB issues often arise because of a lack of adequate strength in the gluteal muscles - the maximus and medius in particular. The other interesting tidbit is that it's pretty unlikely to be an inflammatory condition... it's more likely a degeneration of the collagen fibers.  Given the tendency for anti-inflammatory drugs to mask pain - it might be worth reconsidering your use of them.  If they mask your ability to feel your body's symptoms you'll be more likely to go out and do something that takes your tissue beyond it's ability to tolerate.  The second potential complication with anti-inflammatory drugs is that they may interfere with some of the cellular processes needed to optimize the healing rate.  My benchmark for allowing athletes to return to running is that they need to be off all pain-killing medications (over the counter anti-inflammatories included), they need to be able to accomplish all activities of daily living painfree, walk painfree for up to 10 miles a week, and able to accomplish all their usual strength training activities (especially for the key muscles involved) with no pain.   If they clear those hurdles, then it's time to transition back into running. The transition depends on how long they've been off -- and what their training was like before.  An athlete who had just reached for a new distance is in a very different place than one who had years of high-mileage weeks behind them.   Hope this helps a bit.  As in all things... your individual situation may vary!  Janet Hamilton, MA, RCEP, CSCS, RRCA coaching instructor

Any first hand recommendations of any flat 'barefoot' running shoes besides the Vibram 'toes' type? (tried several of those at a local place; can't get them to fit). One website lists quite a few here: http://barefootrunningshoes.org/barefoot-running-store/ I liked the old original Adidas I got in the early '70s, simple leather shoes, better than anything I've had since. Local store does have a treadmill/video setup; any pointers on what to ask about with that? I wear a 3/8" lift under one heel (leg bones slightly short, since teenage years) so shoe wear is very different. Very high arches, always been sold 'cushiony' lasted shoes but have my doubts that's right. Reading the book, is "1865" on p.12 for introduction of the first running shoes a typo? A few pages that seem helpful: http://www.orthop.washington.edu/uw/tabID__3376/ItemID__131/mid__10313/PageID__251/Articles/Default.aspx (differential diagnosis) Exercise good for knee pain: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/168223.php If I were a rabbit they could fix my knees now (but then they'd have to kill me) http://arthritis-research.com/content/9/1/R8 Impressive: http://arthritis-research.com/content/9/1/R8/figure/F2
Reply - Janet
Hank, sorry I can't be of much assistance on the shoe issue.  I've a friend who runs in the Nike Free shoe and likes it, and also has a Brooks trail shoe that is very low in the heel and light and flexible.  He also does some running in the Vibram shoe.  He says some people are experimenting with those slip on neoprene-booties that you get for wandering in the water... you might check out some dive shops or sporting good stores for those. Best of luck with your barefoot endeavors.  Janet Hamilton, MA, RCEP, CSCS, RRCA coaching instructor.